I know this is super late, but I did see all the Best Picture nominees before the Oscar ceremony. My thoughts, in brief:
Milk
Sean Penn gives a beautiful performance, as does Josh Brolin. The pacing was a little off (particularly during the portions dealing with the second boyfriend), but the ending was very powerful.
Frost/Nixon
A very simple, yet compelling film. The performances are tight. Ron Howard's direction is controlled and appropriate. I wouldn't expect any less from the director of Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Cinderella Man.
Slumdog Millionaire
A beautiful movie, though the game show framing mechanism is both creative and a little forced.
The Reader
My favorite of the 2008 Best Picture nominees. This film shows how personal pride leads one woman to destroy hundreds of lives. It's examination of German guilt for the Holocaust, both for individuals and the nation as a whole, is both fascinating and sobering.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Interesting, but way too long for what it was. I was surprised that the movie was framed by Hurricane Katrina. I suppose they felt they had to deal with that, given that the film is very much about New Orleans.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Craft Circle
I participated recently in a craft circle, where I sent out crafts to five people, and got five crafts in return. Here's what I sent:
A crochet rabbit amigurumi:
Crochet cupcake pincushions:
Crochet flower pins:
Badges from my badge-maker:
Crochet bird pins:
A crochet rabbit amigurumi:
Crochet cupcake pincushions:
Crochet flower pins:
Badges from my badge-maker:
Crochet bird pins:
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Knit Garters
A Pair of Period GartersNotes: These are building upon my interest in period knitting, following Taylor's Mitts from a couple years ago. These are meant to hold up the cotton or wool stockings worn by women in the 18th and 19th centuries. You tie them around your leg right below the knee. They were inspired by the many extant examples of garters shown on the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston website. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a specific extant example to base these on, so they are more "inspired by" than fully accurate.
Finished Size: These are quite stretchy, but they were made to fit around a leg of 13" circumfrence.
Materials: Way less than a ball of Paton's Classic Merino or similar worsted wool yarn (Cascade 220, Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, etc)
1 set of US 4 needles
Medium (about a size F) crochet hook
Darning needle
Scissors
Gauge: 8 stitches=1.25" in garter stitch (row gauge is unimportant)
Garters: cast on two stitches using a long-tail cast on, and leaving at least a 6" tail.
Knit into the front and back of each stitch, so that you have four stitches total.
Knit back and forth in garter stitch (knit every row) until the garter measures 10.5".
K1, m1, k2, m1, k1, giving six stitches total. Work one row even in garter stitch.
k1, m1, k4, m1, k1, giving eight stitches total.
Continue working in garter stitch until the whole garter measures 19". On the next row, k2tog, k4, k2tog, giving 6 stitches total. Then work one row even in garter stitch.
K2tog, k2, k2tog, giving 4 stitches total.
Continue working in garter stitch until the garter measures 30". Then k2tog, k2tog, giving 2 stitches total. Finish off by cutting a 6" tail and pulling it through the two live stitches with a crochet hook.
Repeat for the second garter.
Tassels: cut six strands of yarn about 3" long each. Lay these side-by-side and fold the whole bundle in half. Tie a piece of yarn around the bundle just below the fold, making a loop, and knot it off securely. Attach this tassel to one of the garters by threading the 6" yarn tail through the loop a couple times and knotting off. Repeat for the three other ends of the garters.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Cable Faster, Dammit!
I'm making really slow progress on the new celtic cabled cardi. The back is done, and now I have half a front. The last time I knit this, I did it in a couple weeks. I've been working on this version for months. I don't know what happened!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
I have a good excuse...
...for not posting much lately. I just got married!!! I do, of course, have some knitting progress to catch up on, but I'm still recovering from the wedding crazy.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Shetland Triangle: Almost There!
I am so close to finishing the Shetland Triangle. I bound off early this week, but I need to block it. I think I'm going to wait until I visit my parents next week to do that, because they have more floorspace. This picture is just a preview; I experimented with pinning the shawl on my ironing board to get a feel for what the final product will look like.I have also started swatching for a sweater--another go at the Cable/Rib Cardigan from Vogue Knitting a couple years back. I have already knit this pattern once before, but the yarn I used (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino) is starting to look pretty ratty. So I pulled out some Classic Elite Patina I had in the stash and started swatching. I still need to wash the swatch, but I think I've found a gauge I like.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
A Couple Book Reviews
Have you seen this website Goodreads? It lets you create a list of books you have read, are reading, and are planning to read. Plus it stores your ratings and reviews. The site design is pretty nice too. I started my profile here.
And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander
I had been planning on reading this one for awhile, so I finally picked up a copy from bn.com. Unfortunately, I wasn't thrilled with it. The story follows a young widow who, two years after her husband's death, finds out he may have been involved with some shady art dealers. The widow, Lady Emily Ashton, hardly knew her husband. She married him only to escape the overbearing influence of her mother, and he died shortly after their wedding. It's only through reading Lord Ashton's diary that Emily begins to realize how interesting her husband was. But this exploration also leads her to discover his involvement with art forgers. The plot itself was okay, but Emily as a character is annoying. She is selfish and quick to judge those around her. She doesn't even seem to be that smart, given that it takes her a long time to figure out what, to the readers, is the obvious answer to the mystery. Nevertheless, I'm considering reading the second installment in this series, if only because I've seen other series get much better over time (such as Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen series or Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple series--though I did get burned by Marion Chesney's Edwardian Mystery series).
Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte
This was a short yet enjoyable book, which is part of a larger series about, you guessed it, Captain Alatriste. These books were originally written in Spanish, and are slowly being translated into English. This installment centers around "the adventure of the two Englishmen." Alatriste, a soldier-for-hire in 1620s Madrid, is given an assignment by a member of the Spanish Inquisition. Alatriste is told to kill two Englishmen traveling into Madrid. However, when the attack actually unfolds, Alatriste realizes that his targets aren't two nobodies, but rather people very important to the fate of England and Spain. And more intrigue ensues.... Overall, I was very taken with this book. It's not the most well-paced (there are some places that wander off on tangents about 1600s Spain), but the clear love Perez-Reverte has for Spanish history leads to some interesting writing. I'm already reading the second installment.
And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander
I had been planning on reading this one for awhile, so I finally picked up a copy from bn.com. Unfortunately, I wasn't thrilled with it. The story follows a young widow who, two years after her husband's death, finds out he may have been involved with some shady art dealers. The widow, Lady Emily Ashton, hardly knew her husband. She married him only to escape the overbearing influence of her mother, and he died shortly after their wedding. It's only through reading Lord Ashton's diary that Emily begins to realize how interesting her husband was. But this exploration also leads her to discover his involvement with art forgers. The plot itself was okay, but Emily as a character is annoying. She is selfish and quick to judge those around her. She doesn't even seem to be that smart, given that it takes her a long time to figure out what, to the readers, is the obvious answer to the mystery. Nevertheless, I'm considering reading the second installment in this series, if only because I've seen other series get much better over time (such as Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen series or Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple series--though I did get burned by Marion Chesney's Edwardian Mystery series).
Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte
This was a short yet enjoyable book, which is part of a larger series about, you guessed it, Captain Alatriste. These books were originally written in Spanish, and are slowly being translated into English. This installment centers around "the adventure of the two Englishmen." Alatriste, a soldier-for-hire in 1620s Madrid, is given an assignment by a member of the Spanish Inquisition. Alatriste is told to kill two Englishmen traveling into Madrid. However, when the attack actually unfolds, Alatriste realizes that his targets aren't two nobodies, but rather people very important to the fate of England and Spain. And more intrigue ensues.... Overall, I was very taken with this book. It's not the most well-paced (there are some places that wander off on tangents about 1600s Spain), but the clear love Perez-Reverte has for Spanish history leads to some interesting writing. I'm already reading the second installment.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Blergh
Sorry I've been MIA for awhile. I'm getting married in June, and I have been working on my research agenda for my dissertation. That has pretty much sucked away any knitting time.
Knitting news:
But, I have managed to slowly keep plugging along on my shetland triangle. The pattern was originally written with about 8 repeats of the body chart, but I've done 14. I had to add all these repeats because the intended recipient, my mother, complained that the shawl was too small when I showed it to her in December with 8 repeats. I've put my foot down at 14, so I've now started the edging chart.
Movie news:
I did see a bunch of stuff over the past couple months.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
I liked this movie, even though it was incredibly heavy handed. (We get it! Catholic=Bad! I can totally understand why some Catholics were offended by this movie. ) Nevertheless, Cate Blanchett really owned the role of Elizabeth. It's the strength of her performance that lifts the film from mediocrity.
In Bruges
This is an odd little film written and directed by the playwright Martin McDonagh. It follows in the tradition of many modern Irish plays, dwelling on themes of death, fate, and the plight of the working-man. (Admittedly, I'm basing this assessment after only having read one JM Synge play.) Imagine something depressing along those lines, then throw in a dose of ridiculous gun violence, cocaine, and midgets. The result is oddly funny and quite watchable. I haven't been able to take Colin Farrell seriously before, but he was quite good as the main character in this film. And for some reason Ciaran Hinds (Munich, There Will Be Blood, Persuasion) pops up for an uncredited cameo.
Once
This film is pretty weak in its plotting, but it's so short that it doesn't really matter. The story revolves around a Guy (Glen Hansard) and a Girl (Marketa Irglova) who run into each other on the streets of Dublin and decide to collaborate on a demo album. The Girl and the Guy both have a lot of emotional baggage that prevents them from acting on romantic feelings that are kindled over the course of the ensuing week. But the music they create does help both of them make something new out of their lives. The scene where they first play "Falling Slowly" is fantastic. That song was very deserving of its Oscar.
Elizabeth
I neglected to see this before I saw the sequel. In some ways, I'm glad of that, because this film was better, allowing me to end things on a higher note. The plot is hopelessly romanticised (even I could tell things were off, and I haven't read anything about Elizabethan history since sophomore year of college), and like the sequel, it boils everything into a Protestant v. Catholic brawl. Nevertheless, Cate Blanchett again delivers as Elizabeth, and Geoffrey Rush has some striking scenes as Francis Walsingham. I think Joseph Fiennes is largely wasted, but you can always watch Shakespeare in Love to make up for that. The one thing that I thought was really odd about the movie was its sometimes amateurish effects and subtitles. They used this huge, ugly, white lettering to tell us when the action moved to Scotland or The Vatican. And there is one scene where someone gets beaten to death that looks like it's from a low-rent war movie. This doesn't gel well with the otherwise rich atmosphere.
Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. is the man. I don't even like Tony Stark as a character, and I still had a great time watching this one. (Note: I actually saw this on May 3rd, even though this entry is dated April 30th--I went back and edited this in.)
Knitting news:
But, I have managed to slowly keep plugging along on my shetland triangle. The pattern was originally written with about 8 repeats of the body chart, but I've done 14. I had to add all these repeats because the intended recipient, my mother, complained that the shawl was too small when I showed it to her in December with 8 repeats. I've put my foot down at 14, so I've now started the edging chart.
Movie news:
I did see a bunch of stuff over the past couple months.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
I liked this movie, even though it was incredibly heavy handed. (We get it! Catholic=Bad! I can totally understand why some Catholics were offended by this movie. ) Nevertheless, Cate Blanchett really owned the role of Elizabeth. It's the strength of her performance that lifts the film from mediocrity.
In Bruges
This is an odd little film written and directed by the playwright Martin McDonagh. It follows in the tradition of many modern Irish plays, dwelling on themes of death, fate, and the plight of the working-man. (Admittedly, I'm basing this assessment after only having read one JM Synge play.) Imagine something depressing along those lines, then throw in a dose of ridiculous gun violence, cocaine, and midgets. The result is oddly funny and quite watchable. I haven't been able to take Colin Farrell seriously before, but he was quite good as the main character in this film. And for some reason Ciaran Hinds (Munich, There Will Be Blood, Persuasion) pops up for an uncredited cameo.
Once
This film is pretty weak in its plotting, but it's so short that it doesn't really matter. The story revolves around a Guy (Glen Hansard) and a Girl (Marketa Irglova) who run into each other on the streets of Dublin and decide to collaborate on a demo album. The Girl and the Guy both have a lot of emotional baggage that prevents them from acting on romantic feelings that are kindled over the course of the ensuing week. But the music they create does help both of them make something new out of their lives. The scene where they first play "Falling Slowly" is fantastic. That song was very deserving of its Oscar.
Elizabeth
I neglected to see this before I saw the sequel. In some ways, I'm glad of that, because this film was better, allowing me to end things on a higher note. The plot is hopelessly romanticised (even I could tell things were off, and I haven't read anything about Elizabethan history since sophomore year of college), and like the sequel, it boils everything into a Protestant v. Catholic brawl. Nevertheless, Cate Blanchett again delivers as Elizabeth, and Geoffrey Rush has some striking scenes as Francis Walsingham. I think Joseph Fiennes is largely wasted, but you can always watch Shakespeare in Love to make up for that. The one thing that I thought was really odd about the movie was its sometimes amateurish effects and subtitles. They used this huge, ugly, white lettering to tell us when the action moved to Scotland or The Vatican. And there is one scene where someone gets beaten to death that looks like it's from a low-rent war movie. This doesn't gel well with the otherwise rich atmosphere.
Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. is the man. I don't even like Tony Stark as a character, and I still had a great time watching this one. (Note: I actually saw this on May 3rd, even though this entry is dated April 30th--I went back and edited this in.)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Grey Cabled Mittens
I finished them! I've been wearing them this past week, and I'm quite happy with them. They fit well, aren't too bulky, and are pretty warm. I did end up buying yarn for a matching Gretel hat (damn you, tempting yarn sales!). Hopefully I can start swatching for that soon.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Oscar Wrap-Up, 2007 Best and Worst Movies
So I sat through the entire Oscars ceremony last night. I was pleased with a number of the awards results, from the expected (best actor Daniel Day-Lewis, best supporting actor Javier Bardem, best picture No Country for Old Men, best score Atonement) and the unexpected (best supporting actress Tilda Swinton, best editing Bourne Ultimatum, best visual effects The Golden Compass). I thought Jon Stewart did okay, especially considering that he only had a week to prepare with his writing staff.
Which brings me to my 2007 Best and Worst: Movies list. Of the Oscar nominees, the only film I planned to see but didn't was Elizabeth: The Golden Age (I have netflixed it though). Of the other movies, I would still like to see Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and The Great Debaters. I'm going to admit that I'm voting a bit more with my heart than my head here. I ranked some stuff pretty high, even though I saw more artistic merit in other movies. This is what I enjoyed the most.
The Best:
1) Michael Clayton. I loved a lot of movies from 2007, but this is the only one I didn't have ANY reservations about. Acting, script, design, direction...this movie has it all. Plus, it stars George Clooney.
2) The Bourne Ultimatum. This isn't a particularly cerebral film, but it is well-written, directed, and acted. And the assassination in the London train station scenes are as good a suspense/action sequence as any I've seen. I like that someone as talented as Paul Greengrass (United 93) is willing to make something so enjoyably popcorn-y. This is sure to become an action movie favorite. Plus, it stars Matt Damon.
3)3:10 to Yuma. Like Bourne, this is also a fairly straightforward film. But also like Bourne, it's incredibly well-made and very enjoyable. Russel Crowe and Christian Bale work wonderfully together.
4) Ratatouille. Pixar continues its streak of beautiful, lovable, quality family films. It's not quite Finding Nemo, but it's close. As soon as I finished watching this one, I put it back in the DVD player and watched it again.
5) No Country for Old Men. I still have reservations about the ending, but this movie was impeccably executed. The showdowns between Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin are so good, that you can almost forgive anything else.
6) Atonement. Unlike No Country or There Will Be Blood, this is an example of a "classic" drama, made very much in an older mold. However, due largely to its interesting plot structure and kinetic direction, the film avoids feeling dated. I wish they had given Keira more to do (she comes off as annoying, largely due to the lack of material she has to work with), but James McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan are excellent.
7) Eastern Promises. It's all about Viggo Mortensen. End of story.
8) Gone Baby Gone. The script lacked some zest, relying too much on voice-over narration, but I was very taken with Ben Affleck's direction and Casey Affleck's performance. I'm looking forward to future projects from them.
9) Zodiac. A beautiful ensemble piece, though a bit drawn out. Mark Ruffalo totally works his ridiculous haircut, too. I was a bit surprised it got totally ignored this award season, though it was probably released too early in 2007.
10) Juno. A little too artificially cute for me, but Ellen Page is amazing. Plus, who doesn't like JK Simmons?
Stuff I liked but had some issues with: American Gangster, Charlie Wilson's War, Harry Potter 5, Across the Universe, Shoot 'em Up, The Golden Compass, Live Free or Die Hard, Oceans 13, There Will Be Blood.
The Worst:
1) Spider-Man 3. Painful. May be a franchise killer, though Marvel is planning to try again.
2) Shrek The Third: Eh.
3) Breach: A waste of Chris Cooper.
4) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: It lost a lot of the joy of the previous two installments. It felt as if they just wanted it over.
5) The Seeker: The Dark is Rising: Very disappointing. It was so flat.
6) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: There was a good movie in this film, but it's hard to find in the 2 hours 40 minutes running time. It's really a shame, given that Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt are quite good.
Which brings me to my 2007 Best and Worst: Movies list. Of the Oscar nominees, the only film I planned to see but didn't was Elizabeth: The Golden Age (I have netflixed it though). Of the other movies, I would still like to see Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and The Great Debaters. I'm going to admit that I'm voting a bit more with my heart than my head here. I ranked some stuff pretty high, even though I saw more artistic merit in other movies. This is what I enjoyed the most.
The Best:
1) Michael Clayton. I loved a lot of movies from 2007, but this is the only one I didn't have ANY reservations about. Acting, script, design, direction...this movie has it all. Plus, it stars George Clooney.
2) The Bourne Ultimatum. This isn't a particularly cerebral film, but it is well-written, directed, and acted. And the assassination in the London train station scenes are as good a suspense/action sequence as any I've seen. I like that someone as talented as Paul Greengrass (United 93) is willing to make something so enjoyably popcorn-y. This is sure to become an action movie favorite. Plus, it stars Matt Damon.
3)3:10 to Yuma. Like Bourne, this is also a fairly straightforward film. But also like Bourne, it's incredibly well-made and very enjoyable. Russel Crowe and Christian Bale work wonderfully together.
4) Ratatouille. Pixar continues its streak of beautiful, lovable, quality family films. It's not quite Finding Nemo, but it's close. As soon as I finished watching this one, I put it back in the DVD player and watched it again.
5) No Country for Old Men. I still have reservations about the ending, but this movie was impeccably executed. The showdowns between Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin are so good, that you can almost forgive anything else.
6) Atonement. Unlike No Country or There Will Be Blood, this is an example of a "classic" drama, made very much in an older mold. However, due largely to its interesting plot structure and kinetic direction, the film avoids feeling dated. I wish they had given Keira more to do (she comes off as annoying, largely due to the lack of material she has to work with), but James McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan are excellent.
7) Eastern Promises. It's all about Viggo Mortensen. End of story.
8) Gone Baby Gone. The script lacked some zest, relying too much on voice-over narration, but I was very taken with Ben Affleck's direction and Casey Affleck's performance. I'm looking forward to future projects from them.
9) Zodiac. A beautiful ensemble piece, though a bit drawn out. Mark Ruffalo totally works his ridiculous haircut, too. I was a bit surprised it got totally ignored this award season, though it was probably released too early in 2007.
10) Juno. A little too artificially cute for me, but Ellen Page is amazing. Plus, who doesn't like JK Simmons?
Stuff I liked but had some issues with: American Gangster, Charlie Wilson's War, Harry Potter 5, Across the Universe, Shoot 'em Up, The Golden Compass, Live Free or Die Hard, Oceans 13, There Will Be Blood.
The Worst:
1) Spider-Man 3. Painful. May be a franchise killer, though Marvel is planning to try again.
2) Shrek The Third: Eh.
3) Breach: A waste of Chris Cooper.
4) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: It lost a lot of the joy of the previous two installments. It felt as if they just wanted it over.
5) The Seeker: The Dark is Rising: Very disappointing. It was so flat.
6) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: There was a good movie in this film, but it's hard to find in the 2 hours 40 minutes running time. It's really a shame, given that Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt are quite good.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
At the speed of light
So Mike and I have been pushing really hard to see a bunch of movies before the Oscars. We started January with the following list, and have crossed a number of them off:
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
American Gangster
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma
No Country for Old Men
There Will be Blood
Eastern Promises.
This past holiday weekend we saw 3:10 to Yuma, No Country, and Jesse James. It was a sort of a "western weekend."
3:10 to Yuma
Of the three, this is the one I enjoyed the most. Christian Bale plays a rancher, Dan, struggling to provide for his family. Dan is a Civil War veteran, and he's never really recovered from that experience. Russell Crowe plays a violent bandit, Ben Wade, who is captured in Dan's hometown. Dan volunteers to transport Ben to the 3:10 train to Yuma prison in exchange for much-needed cash. But, as a result, Ben's gang of theives is hunting Dan, trying to free their leader. The story is reasonably simple, and it ends just like you would expect. However, I was very impressed by the acting of the two leads, Bale and Crowe. Bale's character is a bit of a pathetic loser, but Bale makes sure we don't write him off. Crowe's Ben Wade is a scary psycho (there is one scene where he kills a guy with a fork), but he's also a bit of a dandy (Crowe sports a purple striped waistcoat throughout most of the film). Crowe meshes those disparate qualities together very effectively. These two men are so different, yet they manage to come to an understanding in the end. The final sequence is a keeper. (PS--Firefly fans, this movie features Alan Tudyk, aka Wash.)
No Country for Old Men
I'll admit that I was too scared to go see this movie when it first came out. The trailers alone were close to giving me nightmares. But after hearing so many good things from friends, I decided to suck it up and head to the theater. I'm glad I did. Yes, there were some violent parts, but the movie didn't dwell upon the gore. It's much more of a suspense piece, stringing you along in anticipation of something awful happening, instead of showing lots of awful things happening (though the final body count is really high). Javier Bardem is as good as everyone says he is, and I was equally impressed with Josh Brolin (I'm actually surprised he didn't get more awards buzz). And the dry wit conveyed by Tommy Lee Jones tops it all off. My only complaint: what is up with the ending? I realize that the Coen brothers sort of backed themselves into a corner, in that a movie like this has to end with a big shootout, but they probably didn't want to be so conventional. But instead of that type of ending, we get a drawn-out sequence where people meditate on the meaning of life. These scenes aren't bad, but they fit poorly with the rest fo the film.
The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
No need for a plot synopsis here. The title does say it all. The only thing I would add is, "... Framed by Lots of Arty Shots of Blowing Grass," after "Ford." I'm still a little confused by this movie. The actual assasination scene was interesting and well-constructed, but in order to get there we have to wade through lots of really random plot, somewhat stupid voice-overs (please, don't describe to the audience what you're already showing on the screen), and, well, grass. Seriously, the film crew must have spent days sitting in a hayfield somewhere. The acting is really good, led by Brad Pitt (as James) and Casey Affleck (as Ford). I just don't understand all the other artistic choices.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
American Gangster
3:10 to Yuma
No Country for Old Men
There Will be Blood
This past holiday weekend we saw 3:10 to Yuma, No Country, and Jesse James. It was a sort of a "western weekend."
3:10 to Yuma
Of the three, this is the one I enjoyed the most. Christian Bale plays a rancher, Dan, struggling to provide for his family. Dan is a Civil War veteran, and he's never really recovered from that experience. Russell Crowe plays a violent bandit, Ben Wade, who is captured in Dan's hometown. Dan volunteers to transport Ben to the 3:10 train to Yuma prison in exchange for much-needed cash. But, as a result, Ben's gang of theives is hunting Dan, trying to free their leader. The story is reasonably simple, and it ends just like you would expect. However, I was very impressed by the acting of the two leads, Bale and Crowe. Bale's character is a bit of a pathetic loser, but Bale makes sure we don't write him off. Crowe's Ben Wade is a scary psycho (there is one scene where he kills a guy with a fork), but he's also a bit of a dandy (Crowe sports a purple striped waistcoat throughout most of the film). Crowe meshes those disparate qualities together very effectively. These two men are so different, yet they manage to come to an understanding in the end. The final sequence is a keeper. (PS--Firefly fans, this movie features Alan Tudyk, aka Wash.)
No Country for Old Men
I'll admit that I was too scared to go see this movie when it first came out. The trailers alone were close to giving me nightmares. But after hearing so many good things from friends, I decided to suck it up and head to the theater. I'm glad I did. Yes, there were some violent parts, but the movie didn't dwell upon the gore. It's much more of a suspense piece, stringing you along in anticipation of something awful happening, instead of showing lots of awful things happening (though the final body count is really high). Javier Bardem is as good as everyone says he is, and I was equally impressed with Josh Brolin (I'm actually surprised he didn't get more awards buzz). And the dry wit conveyed by Tommy Lee Jones tops it all off. My only complaint: what is up with the ending? I realize that the Coen brothers sort of backed themselves into a corner, in that a movie like this has to end with a big shootout, but they probably didn't want to be so conventional. But instead of that type of ending, we get a drawn-out sequence where people meditate on the meaning of life. These scenes aren't bad, but they fit poorly with the rest fo the film.
The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
No need for a plot synopsis here. The title does say it all. The only thing I would add is, "... Framed by Lots of Arty Shots of Blowing Grass," after "Ford." I'm still a little confused by this movie. The actual assasination scene was interesting and well-constructed, but in order to get there we have to wade through lots of really random plot, somewhat stupid voice-overs (please, don't describe to the audience what you're already showing on the screen), and, well, grass. Seriously, the film crew must have spent days sitting in a hayfield somewhere. The acting is really good, led by Brad Pitt (as James) and Casey Affleck (as Ford). I just don't understand all the other artistic choices.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Mitten Chop!
I overcame "second mitten syndrome," and I am now about a third of the way through the second one. I'm contemplating what hat I could make to match these. I like the look of Ysolda's Gretel. This is the problem with knitting mittens--I always think they require a matching hat, which means buying more yarn! But Fabric Place is having a sale on Cascade 220, so maybe I can justify breaking my yarn diet....
Monday, February 11, 2008
Mitten Number One
I finished the first of my cabled mittens yesterday and set it out to block. I really like this pattern, despite the fact that it has some typos in it. But they were pretty easy to figure out, and the result is very cute. I sort of want a hat to match these, but I don't know if this cable pattern would translate well onto a hat. I'll have to think on it. I could always resort to my favorite cabled hat pattern, the Basic Cable from SNBN. In other news, Mike and I have been trying to catch up on some more movies before the Oscars. First, there was Juno. I loved the quirkyness of this movie, but after a while the crazy dialogue got to me. You can tell that this is Diablo Cody's first film writing effort because she tried to cram way too much nonsensical hipster-speak and oddball situations into the script. However, the basic characterizations are very strong, and all of the actors, led by Ellen Page, do an excellent job. This is the second movie directed by Jason Reitman that I have enjoyed, following 2005's Thank You for Smoking. I am looking forward to his next project.
We also saw Eastern Promises on DVD this past weekend. In some ways, this movie didn't have a story arc at all. We just follow around a bunch of Russian mobsters for awhile. There isn't much resolution in the ending. However, I liked that there wasn't an epic storyline. This movie had no chance of topping all of the great gangster films out there, so it doesn't even try. Instead, it gives us a couple interesting characters and lets us explore their lives for a bit. Viggo Mortensen is amazing, as always. But be prepared for some graphic violence.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Two Movie Reviews
As I did last year, I'm going to hold off on picking my best of 2007 movies until I've watched everything I've got in my pre-Oscar queue. I crossed another one off my list this past weekend: Atonement. I was very curious to see this movie, because I really enjoyed director Joe Wright's last effort, 2005's Pride and Prejudice. Atonement did not dissapoint. You've probably figured out most of the basic story from the many commercials that were playing around Christmas: a young girl (Saoirse Ronan) witnesses something scandalous which she doesn't understand, and promptly tells people about it. As a result, two young lovers (played by Keira Knightley and James McAvoy) are separated, and they remain apart through the tumult of WWII in England. I was prepared for the movie to be really sad, which it was, but I was also struck by the quality of the film. It is interestingly constructed, jumping forwards and backwards in time (this reminded me a lot of Brian Michael Bendis's writing). The acting is tight, led by Ronan and McAvoy (though Knightley got top billing, hers is actually more of a supporting role). The design was excellent. I particularly liked the sound design and score, which cleverly incorporates typewriter sounds at key moments. Overall, it was a beautiful, well-made film. I'm looking forward to Wright's next project.
The other movie I saw recently was Shoot 'Em Up. This is a short, violent, ridiculous movie about a "Mr. Smith" (Clive Owen) trying to protect a baby from some bad guys. Really, that is most of the plot. It's just an excuse to show tons of stunts, which are actually quite cool. It's an 80 minute movie, more than half of which is gun fights. It's got every iteration: gun fight in the street, gun fight in a car chase, gun fight on a rooftop, gun fight in a plane, gun fight while skydiving, gun fight in a gun factory.... Don't expect anything cerebral, but it's fun for what it is.
The other movie I saw recently was Shoot 'Em Up. This is a short, violent, ridiculous movie about a "Mr. Smith" (Clive Owen) trying to protect a baby from some bad guys. Really, that is most of the plot. It's just an excuse to show tons of stunts, which are actually quite cool. It's an 80 minute movie, more than half of which is gun fights. It's got every iteration: gun fight in the street, gun fight in a car chase, gun fight on a rooftop, gun fight in a plane, gun fight while skydiving, gun fight in a gun factory.... Don't expect anything cerebral, but it's fun for what it is.
Mittens for the Emma Knitalong
So, I've been sewing more than I have been knitting lately, but I did start a pair of cabled mittens. These are for the Emma (as in Jane Austen's Emma) knit-and-readalong on the Ravelry Austentatious Fiber Artists message board. The theme was "made for each other," meaning things that come in pairs. Since I've been needing some new mittens for awhile (I love my old cabled mittens, but they're beginning to look a little ratty), I started these. They're from the Vogue Knitting on the Go: Mittens & Gloves book. I wasn't sure about knitting so much reverse stockinette, but they're coming out fine. I'm using a ball of Cascade 220 from the stash (which was originally supposed to be felted sheep stuffie, but whatev). Maybe I can make a matching hat? (Though that would require me buying more yarn, and I'm trying to be on a yarn diet right now.)
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Best and Worst of 2007: Installment One
So since we have just started a new year, I figured it was time for me to recap my favorite tv, books, and movies of 2007. I am by no means an accomplished or dedicated tv watcher, reader, or movie-goer. But I like to do this so I can look back over what I enjoyed the past year.
The Best:
1) 30-Rock. ER gets knocked down from the top spot by, of all things, a sit-com. This is the only sit-com I watch regularly (though I sometimes tune into Scrubs, and Mike is slowly introducing me to How I Met Your Mother). When I saw the first few episodes of 30-Rock, I wasn't sold on it. It seemed too random. But over time, the show began to weave together seemingly unrelated story lines, creating a hilarious whole.
2) Chuck. This was a total dark horse. When I heard the premise (guy gets a super-spy computer downloaded into his head and then gets drawn into international intrigue), I was more than a bit skeptical. But surprisingly, the show isn't too hokey. The actors (including Adam Baldwin of Firefly fame) give simple yet effective performances, and the plots aren't too over-the-top. I like that Chuck, the guy with the computer brain, isn't a total loser. He's a smart guy who has never quite gotten his life together. Sometimes he jumps to conclusions and does stupid things, but other times he comes up with brilliant plans that save the day. NBC gave this one a full-season pick up.
3) ER. Some of this past year's episodes have been perfunctory, but overall I am still impressed with this show. The Abby/Luka wedding episode was a standout. It combined poignant joy, zany comedy, and sadness, all in the trademark ER style. The current season has been focusing on Abby's alcoholism relapse, and it has been both painful and wonderful to watch. I particularly liked how they spread that story over several episodes, letting the events unfold slowly.
4) The Closer. Although I don't think the third season was a strong as the second, it was still very good. The cases were less predictable, and the oddball interactions between the many characters in Brenda's squad continue to be fascinating. My one qualm is with the show's portrayal of Brenda. She throws her all into her work, very often to the detriment of her personal life. Her fiance Fritz has been much abused on this point. I find this conflict interesting, but after a while it makes Brenda a very unsympathetic character. I'm all for the portrayal of strong women in the workplace, but sometimes she ignores personal obligations to an extreme extent. I hope that we will see her learn to better balance work and family in the next season.
The Worst:
1) Heroes. I lost all interest in this show. The first several episodes just dragged on, and on, and on. . . . There was very little action, and they decided not to explain anything about the ending of the last season until several episodes into this one. Plus, the new characters weren't that compelling, though Kristen Bell put in a good effort. Eventually I just stopped watching, though I did catch the final episode of the "half-season."
2) Veronica Mars. The first half of the last season was good, but after that it was clear that the show had run out of money. There were several episodes that used very few actors and took place entirely on one or two sets. This really limited what used to be a much more exciting show. The disappointing results aren't really the fault of the show's creators, since they were put in a tough place by the CW. It's sad that the show was canceled, but it was clear that the network wasn't being supportive.
3) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Eh. Aaron Sorkin has a lot of trouble writing compelling female characters. CJ was great on the West Wing, but I think that has more to do with the talent of Allison Janney than Sorkin's writing. That major weakness, combined with the indifferent plotting really sunk the show.
4) Big Shots. I only watched half an episode of this show, so it's really not fair for me to say much about it. Nevertheless, that thirty minutes was a horrible waste of my time.
The Best:
1) 30-Rock. ER gets knocked down from the top spot by, of all things, a sit-com. This is the only sit-com I watch regularly (though I sometimes tune into Scrubs, and Mike is slowly introducing me to How I Met Your Mother). When I saw the first few episodes of 30-Rock, I wasn't sold on it. It seemed too random. But over time, the show began to weave together seemingly unrelated story lines, creating a hilarious whole.
2) Chuck. This was a total dark horse. When I heard the premise (guy gets a super-spy computer downloaded into his head and then gets drawn into international intrigue), I was more than a bit skeptical. But surprisingly, the show isn't too hokey. The actors (including Adam Baldwin of Firefly fame) give simple yet effective performances, and the plots aren't too over-the-top. I like that Chuck, the guy with the computer brain, isn't a total loser. He's a smart guy who has never quite gotten his life together. Sometimes he jumps to conclusions and does stupid things, but other times he comes up with brilliant plans that save the day. NBC gave this one a full-season pick up.
3) ER. Some of this past year's episodes have been perfunctory, but overall I am still impressed with this show. The Abby/Luka wedding episode was a standout. It combined poignant joy, zany comedy, and sadness, all in the trademark ER style. The current season has been focusing on Abby's alcoholism relapse, and it has been both painful and wonderful to watch. I particularly liked how they spread that story over several episodes, letting the events unfold slowly.
4) The Closer. Although I don't think the third season was a strong as the second, it was still very good. The cases were less predictable, and the oddball interactions between the many characters in Brenda's squad continue to be fascinating. My one qualm is with the show's portrayal of Brenda. She throws her all into her work, very often to the detriment of her personal life. Her fiance Fritz has been much abused on this point. I find this conflict interesting, but after a while it makes Brenda a very unsympathetic character. I'm all for the portrayal of strong women in the workplace, but sometimes she ignores personal obligations to an extreme extent. I hope that we will see her learn to better balance work and family in the next season.
The Worst:
1) Heroes. I lost all interest in this show. The first several episodes just dragged on, and on, and on. . . . There was very little action, and they decided not to explain anything about the ending of the last season until several episodes into this one. Plus, the new characters weren't that compelling, though Kristen Bell put in a good effort. Eventually I just stopped watching, though I did catch the final episode of the "half-season."
2) Veronica Mars. The first half of the last season was good, but after that it was clear that the show had run out of money. There were several episodes that used very few actors and took place entirely on one or two sets. This really limited what used to be a much more exciting show. The disappointing results aren't really the fault of the show's creators, since they were put in a tough place by the CW. It's sad that the show was canceled, but it was clear that the network wasn't being supportive.
3) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Eh. Aaron Sorkin has a lot of trouble writing compelling female characters. CJ was great on the West Wing, but I think that has more to do with the talent of Allison Janney than Sorkin's writing. That major weakness, combined with the indifferent plotting really sunk the show.
4) Big Shots. I only watched half an episode of this show, so it's really not fair for me to say much about it. Nevertheless, that thirty minutes was a horrible waste of my time.
Lace adventures
When I visited my parents for Christmas, I finally had room to block out my Highland Triangle shawls. They are just too big for me to do it in my apartment. (I don't have the floor space.) I picked up some aluminum hanging wires from Home Depot (look in the lighting fixture section). Then I threaded these through the points in the shawl edging. The wires helped me a lot in blocking the shawls out evenly.
As for my Shetland Triangle, I almost finished it over Christmas, but then my mother started complaining about how she thought it was too small. This complaint was raised when I had already begun the edging. As a result, I really had to work at pulling the edging out and ripping back. I ended up threading some sewing thread through a row right before the edging and using that as a lifeline. Now I've added another repeat of the body chart, and I may add another.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
New year, new movie reviews
Happy New Year!!!!!
It's that time of the year where I frantically try to watch a bunch of movies before the Oscars. Although, since the writer's strike is still on, it's not clear if there will be a televised ceremony this year.
Here are a few things I caught recently. I'm hoping to see Atonement and Juno soon, also.
The Golden Compass
I have to admit that I have never read the series of books upon which this movie is based. I have listened to Mike and my sister talk about them, so I know some of the general plot. With that disclaimer, I thought this movie was good but not great. They clearly threw a lot of money into the project. The visual designs were excellent. But, it seemed as if they weren't sure what parts of the book they wanted to focus on, which left the plot really muddled. Although, the armored polar bear fight was awesome.
Charlie Wilson's War
This film was written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by Mike Nichols, and stars Tom Hanks (as Charlie Wilson). The result is slick and professional. That is both a strength and a weakness. For being a movie about the end of the Cold War and continuing tension in the Middle East (particularly Afghanistan), it has a surprisingly light and detached feel. You almost feel as if the entire thing was made up. One of the best sequences, where Congressman Wilson is holding a meeting with a CIA officer (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) while simultaneously writing a memo with his staff, is zany and brilliantly executed. But it's really staged and fake given the gravity of the base material. This mood was probably a conscious choice, but it did come off as a bit weird to me. We, as an audience in 2007, know that the story of Afghanistan does not yet have a happy ending.
Zodiac
I saw this on DVD. I was a bit afraid to watch it, because I am not a fan of gore. I feared the movie was really going to dwell on the Zodiac murders. However, that is not the case (though there is one particularly graphic scene). Instead, the movie focuses on the men investigating these killings, played admirably well by Jake Gyllanhall, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards (who is, of course, one of my faves from his time on ER). Roger Ebert compares this movie to All the President's Men, and I agree with him (though Zodiac is not as good as AtPM). My one qualm is that the shift from when the investigation is handled by the police (Ruffalo and Edwards) to when it is handled by one journalist (Gyllanhall) creates a marked break in the film. It's almost as if they are two separate movies. My guess is this happened because the movie is trying to follow the way the investigation evolved in real life.
It's that time of the year where I frantically try to watch a bunch of movies before the Oscars. Although, since the writer's strike is still on, it's not clear if there will be a televised ceremony this year.
Here are a few things I caught recently. I'm hoping to see Atonement and Juno soon, also.
The Golden Compass
I have to admit that I have never read the series of books upon which this movie is based. I have listened to Mike and my sister talk about them, so I know some of the general plot. With that disclaimer, I thought this movie was good but not great. They clearly threw a lot of money into the project. The visual designs were excellent. But, it seemed as if they weren't sure what parts of the book they wanted to focus on, which left the plot really muddled. Although, the armored polar bear fight was awesome.
Charlie Wilson's War
This film was written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by Mike Nichols, and stars Tom Hanks (as Charlie Wilson). The result is slick and professional. That is both a strength and a weakness. For being a movie about the end of the Cold War and continuing tension in the Middle East (particularly Afghanistan), it has a surprisingly light and detached feel. You almost feel as if the entire thing was made up. One of the best sequences, where Congressman Wilson is holding a meeting with a CIA officer (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) while simultaneously writing a memo with his staff, is zany and brilliantly executed. But it's really staged and fake given the gravity of the base material. This mood was probably a conscious choice, but it did come off as a bit weird to me. We, as an audience in 2007, know that the story of Afghanistan does not yet have a happy ending.
Zodiac
I saw this on DVD. I was a bit afraid to watch it, because I am not a fan of gore. I feared the movie was really going to dwell on the Zodiac murders. However, that is not the case (though there is one particularly graphic scene). Instead, the movie focuses on the men investigating these killings, played admirably well by Jake Gyllanhall, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards (who is, of course, one of my faves from his time on ER). Roger Ebert compares this movie to All the President's Men, and I agree with him (though Zodiac is not as good as AtPM). My one qualm is that the shift from when the investigation is handled by the police (Ruffalo and Edwards) to when it is handled by one journalist (Gyllanhall) creates a marked break in the film. It's almost as if they are two separate movies. My guess is this happened because the movie is trying to follow the way the investigation evolved in real life.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Snow time
We had a bit of a snow storm last Thursday, and I decided to take my camera out on my walk the next morning to snap some photos of the aftermath. The accumulation wasn't that much, just a couple feet, but it did snow for 10 hours straight.
This is the parking lot of my building. See that black Audi in the middle? It's parking space is no where near there. I think they just managed to drive that far into the lot and then gave up on actually getting into their spot.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Happy Hanukah!
Tonight is the first night of Hanukah. You have no idea the lengths Mike went to to get candles. For some reason, none of the local grocery stores had them until we hit the Auburndale Shaws last night. CVS was also a bust. We were considering stopping at a Synagogue or at the Israel Bookstore, but that would have required going farther afield. Also, it isn't particularly helpful when the clerks direct you to the full-size tapers when you ask for Hanukah candles. Meanwhile, I have been crocheting up a storm, busting out a few more of the cupcake pin cushions from this pattern. I'm using them has holiday gifts!
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